ARCHITECTURE OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS: USE OF FREE DRAWING AS A PEDAGOGICAL TOOL IN MEDICAL EDUCATION

Abstract

Introduction: Teaching personality disorders in medical education requires innovative approaches to facilitate the understanding of underlying mechanisms and enhance student training. The use of artistic techniques, such as free drawing, has proven to be an effective strategy in psychiatry education, promoting meaningful learning. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of free drawing as a pedagogical tool for teaching personality disorders to medical students. Methodology: A workshop was conducted with fourth-year medical students at the Multidisciplinary Health Institute of the Federal University of Bahia. The activity began with a theoretical discussion on the mechanisms of personality development and their pathological alterations, drawing an analogy with the construction of architectural spaces. Students were then divided into groups and asked to create freehand drawings representing different personality disorders based on the diagnostic criteria of the ICD-10 and DSM-5. The drawings were qualitatively analyzed, considering symbolism, coherence with diagnostic criteria, and impact on learning. Results: The drawings demonstrated an in-depth understanding of personality disorders, allowing students to express abstract concepts visually and symbolically. The activity fostered teamwork, critical thinking, and student engagement while enabling a more complex discussion of diagnostic criteria and clinical implications. Conclusions: Free drawing proved to be an effective and low-cost active learning methodology for teaching psychiatry, promoting meaningful learning and the development of complex conceptual connections. The use of artistic resources in medical education can enhance the assimilation of dense theoretical content, contributing to a more integrative and reflective training for future professionals.